This invention relates generally to an ornament including backlit film bearing a custom image formed into a generally cylindrical shape and retained in the form of a hollow cylinder by circular upper and lower retainer caps. At least one of these retainer caps, such as the upper cap, has a small opening formed therein to receive a light source, such as a light mounted along an elongated strand of the type used for Christmas decorations.
Backlit film is generally known in the art for use in printing a custom image onto the film, and then backlighting the printed film to illuminate the custom image. Such backlit film is often used in the preparation of posters and the like of generally planar shape. Backlit film has recently become available for use in home printing applications, such as by use of an inkjet printer or the like for printing of a wide variety of home artwork, such as individual photographs of friends and relatives. Exemplary backlit film is commercially available in rolls of different sheet lengths suitable for use with wide format inkjet media from Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., under the brand name Kodak Premium Backlit Film, or from Hewlett-Packard Development Company of Houston, Tex., under the brand name HP Premium Vivid Color Backlit Film.
The prior art discloses several different types of ornaments that use light to illuminate an image or sign, but such devices tend to be overly complex and expensive to manufacture, which can significantly inhibit commercial viability. Moreover, none of these prior art devices incorporate a backlit film image in the manner disclosed herein, and as briefly mentioned above. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,185 to Deal discloses an omni-directional sign that includes a refracting cylinder having a light source disposed therein. The cylinder includes a series of individual refracting rings, wherein each ring, in turn, consists of a large number of individual refracting elements. These refracting elements are grouped together in identical sequences equally spaced around the periphery of the cylindrical element. These refracting elements or sidewall corrugations of the refracting cylinder are shown generally with respect to the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 1-2 and 17-18. Accordingly, the cylinder wall includes a first set of surfaces radial to the cylinder, and a second set of surfaces which are opaque to prevent light from passing through to the cylinder. An imprinting roller may press-fit these corrugations (e.g., the refracting, radial or opaque surfaces) to the surface of the cylinder by hot pressing it against a second, smooth roller. Then, the opaque surfaces, which stand out from the refracting or radial surfaces, are painted by a second similar set of rollers. Such corrugation results in several different surfaces oriented at angles relative to one another, including a jagged surface characterized by numerous peaks and valleys. Deal discloses a variety of these repeating refracting surface arrangements, some of which involve complex combinations of radial, tangential, and angled surfaces, all of which are jagged, as shown, e.g., in FIGS. 4, 4a, 5 and 7. As a result of the un-even alternating surface structure formed as part of the refracting surfaces of the cylinder, Deal requires the opaque surfaces to prevent light scattering. In this respect, a portion of the refracting surfaces are either painted black, as mentioned above, to absorb the light or painted silver to reflect the light. These opaque surfaces inhibit full and even illumination of substantially the entire surface area of the backlit image, especially since the backlit image cannot sit flush with substantially the entire surface area of the cylinder because of the many corrugations which create outwardly extending “peak” sections, which sometimes form only a single point of contact for the backlit image, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a, and the corresponding depressed “valley” sections. This corrugated structure has a specific purpose, when combined with a single smooth cylindrical surface, to create prismatic refracting elements that permit variations in the displayed image, depending on the angular viewing position relative to the omni-directional sign. While this may be desired for the image disclosed in Deal, it is particularly undesirable for full and even illumination of a backlit film image not meant to be distorted depending on the viewing angle.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,084 to Simpson discloses a holiday lighting decoration and method for using the same. More specifically, the Simpson device includes a motor driven carousel that displays a series of images on a transparent material. A hollow transparent support provides an upright receptacle for retention of photographs within the carousel for rotation therewith for sequentially displaying images on the transparent material by way of being illuminated by a centrally located light bulb. One problem with Simpson is that the carousel design is overly complex, namely it requires an electric motor, three separate gear assemblies (e.g., a worm drive, idler gear, and 360 degree rotational gear), related axles, linkages, fasteners, rotational friction bearings, etc. In all, the Simpson device requires a dozen or more precision interlocking mechanical parts when fully assembled. The reinforced housing carrying the mechanical elements also carries the centrally disposed lamp post relative thereto about a bearing in the form of a plastic washer. This allows the gear assembly to turn the transparent support carrying the images, relative to the upstanding light without actually turning the light. This is necessary to avoid twisting the line that provides power to the light. As such, the transparent support must rotate about the washer relative to the insert supporting the light otherwise the Simpson device will not work. As a result, the Simpson device must be hung from a hook that similarly permits rotation relative thereto, otherwise the hook itself would bind during rotation of the lighting decoration. This undesirably precludes hanging the Simpson device from a lighting structure having power lines extending therefrom.
In another reference, U.S. patent No. to Bowles discloses a lamp-box having a shell that encloses a plurality of lamps for illuminating flat negatives for retouching thereof. The front of the shell resides in a single plane and provides an opening for slide-in reception of a negative. A set of guideways permit insertion/removal of the negative into and out from the lamp box. In this respect, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate that the front of the lamp-box is planar or flat and would otherwise prohibit insertion of a curved backlit film image. This is important because the very purpose of the Bowles invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive box adapted for photographic work. In this respect, the negative, picture or other object may be modified while being illuminated by a light source inside. Accordingly, a negative is placed in the slide plate and in a flat position favorable for retouching. Such a planar structure prohibits three-dimensional viewing of the image around the entire exterior of the lamp box. Rather, one must sit directly in front of, and preferably perpendicular to, the plane of the negative.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,663,386 to Rice discloses illumination of a sign for “The DOE Co.” that adheres directed to a substrate or sheet to form a single sheet of flexible material of uniform thickness. The two sheets are, therefore, inseparable. Such permanent affixation is particularly undesirable because the sign cannot be removed and replaced by other signage without completely replacing the entire unit (i.e., both the sign and the supporting substrate or sheet mentioned above). More specifically, Rice discloses a transparent sign constructed from two pieces of flexible transparent sheets, one sheet that includes a painted surface (e.g., with “The DOE Co.” thereon) and a second support sheet. The adjacent sheets are then treated with a chemical that causes the adjacent surfaces of the sheets to adhere to one another and knit together to form a single sheet of flexible material. Chemically bonding the sheets together to form a single sheet of material is undesired because it is not possible to remove and replace for purposes of interchanging the image. The stated purpose of such chemical adhesion as disclosed by Rice is to protect the painted sheet from the weather. For example, water cannot contact the painted surface because it is inseparably bonded into a single, individual piece of material. If the two surfaces were separable, weather and moisture would be allowed to contact the printed advertising material and could cause premature wear.
The present disclosure pertains to a relatively simple and easily constructed ornament having a three-dimensional shape, particularly such as a generally cylindrical shape, wherein backlit film bearing a custom image and formed into the desired size and shape is formed into a hollow cylinder and retained by upper and lower retainer caps, for selected assembly individually or in groups with an elongated light strand having multiple light sources. Each ornament is arranged with one of the light sources positioned therein to backlight the custom film image.